My truck had catastrophic brake failure as I was driving it. I knew the brakes were going bad prior to that, but I had to keep driving it while I saved up money to do the repair (digging out of debt sucks). Of course, I didn't have any parts yet when the failure happened.Originally Posted by sleeper1500
Buying the parts (mostly) online added 2 weeks or so due to processing and shipping. I was set back a week and a half to two weeks when it turned out the supplier couldn't get the calipers I ordered online. It took them that long to refund my money. I ended up going with stock replacement calipers after that fiasco.
My truck is too big to fit in my garage......well, with all the crap my roommate has stored in there, anyway. I have to do the work on my gravel driveway. Also no air tools.
Then I run into the hard reality of my work hours.......I get home from work at midnight, and due to sleeping problems "my time" is from midnight to around 5:00-6:00 AM. I'm NOT gonna disturb my neighbors by lighting the place up like daylight and hammering away at night. So, the only time I can work on my truck (even without my nephew there) is on my days off (Wed/Thurs). Because of my screwy sleep and work schedule, I only have about 5 hours of daylight to work with on my days off after I get up.
I'm also going slow(er than normal) as I work because I have my 13 y.o. nephew over helping me, so he can start learning how to work on vehicles. Teaching safety procedures, explaining why some things were designed the way they were, diagnosing the multiple causes of the failure (with helpful input from this Forum), etc. He starts Shop class in school this coming year, so hopefully he remembers some of what we've been doing. If so, he'll have something of a head start on his class and it will all have been worth it.
I've always been slow when working on vehicles to start with LOL. I'm used to it taking me 2, 3, or 4 times as long as other people doing the same job. It doesn't matter. Everything gets done eventually, and done right.
And no offense, dude.......if it takes you only 45 minutes to do pads, rotors, calipers, parking brakes, and lines on all 4 wheels (without power tools, or a lift, or even concrete to work on), then you're really REALLY good. I bet it took me/us 2 hours just to get the tires off with my nephew there. I don't claim to be good. I might be a little better (though not quicker) than the Average Joe, but that's it.....and that's not saying much heh. For instance, when I get around to swapping an LS1/80 into my '89 Blazer some year, it's not gonna be a weekend project like it would be for some people. I suspect it would take me a good 3 months or so.
I got the rear of my truck put together today, before I ran out of time for this week. The fronts will have to happen next week. Sure, I could have done the whole thing over these last 2 days easily if I was working by myself, including paint. But hopefully my nephew is learning a lot and he'll be better prepared not only for his upcoming class, but for the rest of his life.
I'm not pissed about your comment at all, man. Just thought you'd see things differently with a more extended and accurate background on my brake project
My next project, before winter, will be to paint my faded grey lower body cladding, as well as the fairing (or whatever that thing is called on an Avalanche) and bed top. I probably won't be able to accomplish it on my 2 days off due to the meticulous prep work, so my truck will be down at least a week for that as well. I could probably do all the bottom plastic one week, and the top plastic the next week. Not sure I'd want to drive it for a week looking funky like that. The end result will be worth it, however. I'm looking forward to that
/end thread hijack, sorry!
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